1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an oil sampling assembly wherein an oil sample and representative contaminants contained therein are collected within a container disposed in fluid communication with the oil circulating system of the engine or machinery being sampled. The container, once removed from its communicating relation with the oil circulating system is structured to define a shipping package for the transport of oil to a testing facility.
2. Description of the Related Art
The collection and testing of oil samples from engines, machinery, etc. are well known and intended to assure their efficient and long life operation by determining what contaminants exist within the oil circulating system. In preferred maintenance systems, oil sampling is conducted on a scheduled, predetermined, periodic basis and is a process by which a small amount of oil is extracted from the crank case, oil reservoir or other portion of the oil circulating system. Although the specified quantity of oil contained in an engine's oil reservoir generally varies, based on total cylinder displacement, this amount is generally far greater than that required to be collected as an oil sample for analysis. It is commonly recognized that an oil sample comprising generally 2-3 ounces is sufficient to perform a proper analysis as to contaminant content. Once collected, the oil sample is forwarded to an oil analysis lab or like testing facility to determine whether the contaminants found within the oil are expected to be present. If so, the levels of contamination are determined and compared with those levels known from prior sampling and those levels dictated by the manufacturer of the engine, machinery or like device being maintained.
When applying known or conventional techniques to obtain a representative oil sample, the engine or machinery is operated in a manner consistent with its design limits for a sufficient period of time to insure that the circulating oil reaches an operating temperature. Heating of the oil during circulation facilitates the evaporation of any water contained within the oil circulating system and further serves to sufficiently distribute any contaminants and other foreign substances consistently throughout the oil being circulated. After the aforementioned period of operation, the engine or machinery is shut down and a sufficient quantity of oil is removed from the oil reservoir or other appropriate portions of the oil circulating system. Such oil sample is typically transferred from the engine, machinery, etc. and placed into a suitable container for shipment to the oil analysis and/or testing facility.
Accordingly, problems and disadvantages associated with current, known or conventional oil sampling techniques include, among others, the necessity of operating an engine or machinery under normal operating conditions to ensure a complete heating of the oil within the circulating system of the engine or machinery to normal operating temperatures immediately preceding the collection of the oil samples for analysis. Sampling of oil at operating temperatures is not only difficult and inconvenient, using conventional procedures, but also can be dangerous in that normal operating oil temperatures can range from 190-220° F. Accordingly, the danger of coming into direct contact with hot oil in an attempt to remove small quantities thereof for sampling can result in serious damage to the sampler.
Additional disadvantages are associated with the conventional use of a suction pump or other extraction device used to remove the oil sampling from the crank case, oil reservoir, etc. When sampling oil from an I.C. engine, removal of the oil sample is frequently accomplished by inserting a thin hose or like conduit down through the dipstick tube and attaching the hose to some type of evacuation pump. The collected oil sample is thereby transferred while at potentially dangerous operating temperatures to a separate container. Thereafter the container containing the oil sample is transported, shipped, etc. to the analysis or testing facility.
It is recognized that advancements have been made in oil sampling techniques and attendant assemblies. By way of example only, diesel engine manufacturers sometimes build engines which incorporate oil sampling ports. This technique serves to eliminate the need to use a vacuum pump or like extraction device, as set forth above. Instead, access is made directly to the oil sampling ports for removal of the oil into an appropriate transport container for shipping. Therefore, while the engines incorporating sampling ports of the type set forth above may simplify and to a certain extent facilitate the process of obtaining hot oil samples, it does not eliminate the requirement of running the engine or machinery for a period of time to ensure the collected oil is at normal operating temperature. Other disadvantages associated with conventional oil sampling assemblies and procedures also lack the assurance that all contaminants are equally distributed throughout the oil being collected and/or circulated. A lack of consistent contaminant distribution throughout the oil circulating system may result in the collected oil sample not being accurately representative of the oil contained in the oil reservoir and/or oil circulating system in terms of contaminant content.